March 2020

Mar 31

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Let’s meet star apprentice Lynda

The Red Seal Journeyman Horticulturist program is a win for everybody involved and this blog post is for those considering the four year apprenticeship. Becoming Red Seal certified is a worthy goal.

In exchange for their hefty sponsorship, employers lock-in their apprentices for four seasons. And because it’s slow in winter, they can afford to lose their workers for six weeks.

Apprentices avoid the nastiest part of the season and go to school for six weeks. Then, for the rest of the year they work alongside genius landscape supervisors like me, absorbing world-class knowledge. (With little kids at home, I challenged the Red Seal exam because I had multiples of the required 9,700 hours in the field; and couldn’t afford to take time off. Doing the full four-year apprenticeship is much better.)

Lastly, British Columbia gains certified trades people who provide great service to their employers and clients. In theory, they should also make more money and move up. In practice, this is trickier than it looks.

Lynda

If you follow my blogs you will already know about Lynda, our star landscape horticulture apprentice. She kindly shared her experiences after levels 1 and 2, so I begged her to continue after completing her level 3. And I mean I begged her.

Question: How does level 3 differ from 1 and 2?

Answer:

Level 3 was different from level 1 and 2 in the sense that it was more practical. You studied subjects that were more relevant to what you would actually do on the job. You would go out and actually identify the plant on site, instead of trying to identify it from a picture in a slideshow. There was a lot more “heavy lifting” when it came to level 3. A lot of level 3 was more centered around landscape construction and hardscape compared to level 1 and 2, which centered around the science of plants.

Q 2: What did you enjoy the most?

A: I probably would say I enjoyed the landscape construction labs the most. But it’s hard to say. This year was hard with lots of tough information. I was more concentrated on just getting through the class.

Q 3: What did you struggle with?

A: I struggled with all the math involved in the course. Compared to level 1 and 2, there is significantly more math to learn in level 3.

Q 4: What is it like studying at Kwantlen Polytechnic University?

A: The atmosphere at KPU is different. It’s relaxed but stressful all at the exact time. The work load and all the information is the stressful part, but getting to know your classmates and working with them on projects, and in study groups is great to help ease the mind of some stress that comes with taking this course.

Q 5: Are all of the instructors cool?

A: No, not all of the instructors were cool. Most of them were, but there were a couple teachers that I personally had problems with.

Q 6: How was the ITA final?

A: The ITA final was difficult. ITA can be tricky with their tests. They like to add things, that you wouldn’t think is important to remember. It is important to remember to look at literally everything as best as you can.

Q 7: What advice would you give to someone about to take level 3?

A: The only advice I can give, try to stay organized, it helps temper your stress if you stay organized. As well as, make connections with your classmates. Start study groups. Work together on stuff. It will make you feel so much more confident and comfortable for these gruelling six weeks.

Now that landscapers can get their Red Seal Journeyman Horticulturist trade papers, it makes sense to go for it by asking your employers for sponsorship. Winter is slow anyway so they won’t miss you. Just don’t forget to thank them later.

Good luck!

Mar 31

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Why you shouldn’t freak out about secondary drop

By Vas Sladek | landscape maintenance | No Comments

Regular readers of this blog will know that I preach about great clean-ups in landscape maintenance all the time. When I prune, I want the clean-up to match the pruning. No excuses, just great pruning and clean-up. Period.

Cedar hedges

On the West Coast we prune cedar hedges (Thuja plicata and T. occidentalis) from early fall until late winter. It gives us work to do in the slower part of the year and it’s better for the hedges because it’s cooler.

But the power shearing generates a lot of clippings and makes the clean-ups extremely annoying. This is because the clippings get stuck everywhere, including in the hedges.

Cones

Cedar cones are especially difficult because you have to use a ladder for the job. This makes it awkward to dislodge any larger clippings from the tree. Just switching from power shears to a rake is time consuming; and using a rake messes up the look of the cedar.

Smaller rectangular cedar hedges are easier in that we can brush off the debris from the tops before finishing the job. Large cones are tricky.

Secondary drop

The debris at the base of this cedar looks terrible. It would make any normal landscape foreman freak out and haul his workers back in to re-do it. But not so fast; I took this this photo weeks later. So, we’re seeing the dreaded “secondary drop“.

Secondary drop refers to debris that falls down after the initial pruning and clean-up. It comes with the job so there’s no need to freak out. We have to accept that some debris will fall off the cedars later. We can’t help it.

Pro tip: I know that some people will disagree with me but I am convinced that the bottoms of cedar hedges should be kept shaggier. This is to protect the roots from intense summer sunlight. In the wild, Thuja plicata trees are starting to suffer from more intense summer heat waves.

When you prune cedars, clean-up the clippings as best as you can knowing full well that there will be some secondary drop for you to clean-up later.

Mar 30

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Why I love Stihl’s new KM 94R engine

By Vas Sladek | machines, Reviews | No Comments

It always feels good to test out a new machine and Stihl’s new KM 94 R combi engine worked fine when I tested it recently.

The first thing you will notice is the light weight. All of the combi engines I’m used to are bigger and heavier. This engine is light which is perfect for some awkward jobs; and it’s perfect when you have to shear or edge for many hours at a time. I also think that female employees will appreciate having this lighter unit at their disposal.

On the day I tested this unit, I had to shear tall cedar cones at what I consider to be the top of my tolerance height. So, it helped to have a light engine in my hands.

The second thing you will notice is the power output. It’s a bit of a change from the other engines where the power is noticeable. But, I contend, that this is just habit. Most professional landscapers will get used to it. The KM 94R is not a toy, it does the job.

Also, note that the handle has Ecospeed which allows you to control the engine speed.

The third thing you will notice is that the fuel tank is small. But, if you work like a professional, you will have a jerry can close by ready for re-fuelling. Plus, according to Stihl, this engine is 20% more fuel efficient and spits out significantly less exhaust. I like that.

The unit I tested wasn’t firing as quickly as I would have liked. Other than that, it worked really well. It will cost you just over C$400 and it’s a great addition to your operation because it is light.

Working on a cedar like the one below makes you appreciate having a lighter engine. With the engine at top speed it pruned the cedar like any other machine; and obviously, sharp shears help as well.

Visit your local dealer and add this engine to your operation. You will be glad you did!

My favorite dealer is Tri-City Power Equipment, in Coquitlam, BC. Please visit them at 98 Fawcett Road, Coquitlam, BC or call (604)520-3000. Ask for Gary. They also have awesome mechanics.

Tell them Vas sent you!

(Disclaimer, sometimes I score free Stihl hats for posting this.)

Mar 29

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Are tulip bulbs reliable after one season?

By Vas Sladek | gardening, Species | No Comments

I love it when I get to run field tests on my sites by chance. One such test involved used bulbs. This was the question: are tulip bulbs reliable past the first season? Can you use them over and over?

Fall 2019

In late fall 2019, I did maintenance at a small Port Moody, BC, strata (multi-family) site where the garden liaison stopped me. Would I be able to plant her saved tulip and daffodil bulbs in the dead space I was weeding? Yes, of course.

Mass-planting bulbs is very easy. You just dig a hole deep enough to match the bulb size 2.5 times. And that’s what I did because there wasn’t enough time for individual planting. I find mass-planting better anyway, especially with daffodils.

Always make sure the bulbs are pointing up the right way and try to plant at a consistent depth. This way they will pop more or less in unison.

Pro tip: Try to plant a section by yourself, because your helpers will, inevitably, plant slightly higher or lower. We need consistency so do your section and let them plant other sections close by.

Spring 2020

This is the look in spring 2020. What conclusions can we draw?

A) Tulip bulbs are not reliable past one season. They may or may not pop and this test proves the point. So, why not toss the tulips and design a new display every year? The bulbs aren’t expensive and you’ll get to have more fun. Like me.

This is what happens when you read too many magazines. As soon as I saw the row of Mexican feather grasses flanked by deep purple tulips, I was hooked. Sadly, my humble patio only allows small pots so I created just one.

See, you can have lots of fun with new tulip combinations.

B) Daffodils are rock stars. They look good in my test plot and they will continue to pop every year unless something crazy happens to them. Daffodils, unlike tulips, can be naturalized. I even found some daffodils in the woods recently, where they were left for dead by careless gardeners.

Pro tip: Never discard unwanted plants in the woods. That’s how plants turn into invasives.

Conclusion

Get one good show from your tulips and toss them. Then design a new display for the following year. This way you’ll get to have more fun and you won’t have to worry about all of the tulips looking great in season two.

Keep all daffodils.

Mar 27

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Why landscape supervisors have more fun

By Vas Sladek | landscape maintenance | No Comments

Landscape supervisors have more fun because they often get to escape from routines. For example, today, I spent the entire morning on requests while the crews deep-edged and finessed beds.

Because I’m the extra man in the field, I can handle requests that would otherwise distract site foremen from their weekly plan. And I’m happy to help out. Let’s take a look.

Hedge reduction

The owners of the cedar hedge (Thuja plicata) below felt boxed-in so they requested a significant 12-18 inch reduction. Armed with sharp new shears and Stihl’s new KM 94 R engine, I bravely attacked the hedge.

The key is establishing the new height and marking it in the hedge. Then the shearing can begin. Luckily, I didn’t run into any huge stems. When you do, use loppers to eliminate them, not your shears.

I managed to catch the owner as she retrieved her newspaper and she was pleased with her “new” hedge. When you reduce cedar hedges drastically you must accept the brown wood look on top. Over time, it won’t look so freaky.

As always, the clean-ups should be as nice as the pruning. In this case, the debris filled four tarps. The last step involved a clean-up blow and putting all patio furniture and pots back to their original places.

Sarcococca

This request was nice and quick. It’s common for people to complain about overgrown shrubs by entrances so I grabbed my shears and went to work.

Note that Sarcococca flowers in winter and produces an attractive scent at a time when nothing much is happening in the landscape. So, now at the end of March it’s fine to prune this shrub.

Pro tip: Pruning after flowering is a common rule for most shrubs.

Grasses

Here, again, the homeowners didn’t like the look of their grasses so I took them down by hand. Yes, it’s slower but using long extendable power shears in tight spots is awkward. The other issue was power cables on the ground.

Pro tip: Don’t rush your tasks. Look around for dangers like outdoor light cables.

Dogwood tree

The last request involved a dogwood (Cornus) tree. The idea was to reduce the height of the crown and I pulled it off easily. One, I could reach the top branches without a ladder; and, two, because the tree is multi-stemmed reducing the top-most branches still leaves the tree looking natural.

The whole job took maybe ten minutes.

Mornings like this are gold for landscape supervisors. They almost don’t feel like work. Supervisors have more fun!

Mar 24

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White morning on a dark day

By Vas Sladek | Species | No Comments

Today was the first mow day of the season and it was surreal. With the novel coronavirus raging around the globe, I had to take precautions like never before. My mouth was covered by a mask, my hands were washed and covered in clean gloves, and I kept everybody at least six feet away.

By the time I got home, my in-box was full of messages encouraging me to stay home.

White plants

Everywhere I went this morning, I saw white plants and they lifted my spirits. So, let’s take a look at five species and see if you know any of them.

Azalea (Rhododendron sp.)

Azaleas are everywhere in our West Coast landscapes and for a good reason. They look great when they’re in bloom.

Pieris japonica

This is another well-known shrub in our landscapes.

Ribes sanguineum (Currant)

This white variety isn’t as common as the pink one but perhaps it should be. Currant pops in early spring and is also well-known.

Oemleria cerasiformis (Indian plum)

Indian plum is a native plant and the blooms will eventually turn into edible berries. It brightens up the landscape nicely at the moment. You can read my blog post dedicated to this native shrub with additional pictures.

Pyracantha coccinea

I saved the toughest plant to identify for last. When I shot the picture I wasn’t completely sure what it was. Then, I noticed the familiar skinny and super sharp thorns. Ah, yes, firethorn. I know it intimately from pruning and moving it.

The thorns are so annoying, I was once asked to plant Pyracanthas by a parkade which suffered from frequent break-ins. I never heard back if my plantings actually deterred the bad boys.

If you don’t recognize the white flowers, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ve seen the orange clusters of berries that come later.

These are strange times for the entire globe but in the landscape there are always elements that can lift your spirits. Like my white morning.

For now, medical experts recommend that we stay home.

Mar 22

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Garden as a place of comfort

By Vas Sladek | gardening | No Comments

Brian Minter writes in today’s Vancouver Sun about gardens being places of comfort. And I totally agree. Except it wasn’t very comfortable today buying the paper. Just before I entered Shopper’s drug mart, the security guard questioned me about my shopping intentions. What? These really are strange times we live in.

Escape

With the novel coronavirus upsetting our normal routines, we need gardens more than ever. We need some safe spaces to escape to, where we can rest and relax.

Unfortunately, I only have a small patio so I have to rely on containers. Of course, Brian Minter is a gardening legend in British Columbia so he’s after well-designed containers. Mine are planted with rejected plants I brought in from work; and I love all of my rescues.

Elements

The only designed pot I have contains Mexican feather grass (Stipa tenuissima) which moves nicely with the breeze. All around it I planted purple tulips because I read too many gardening magazines and I saw this idea in one of them. The light grass contrasts nicely with the purple tulips. At least that’s the idea. The tulips aren’t out yet. I can’t wait.

Rebel daffodil discarded in the woods and rescued.

Minter also mentions colours and perfumes. The only perfume I get in winter comes from my one Sarcococca. The other elements are plants which attract pollinators and LED mini-lights for extra magic.

Now, while my patio probably wouldn’t get a passing mark from Brian Minter, it’s my special place. I feel like the plants I rescued and bought are my friends. Some are tiny trees I will never be able to keep to maturity but I love seeing them grow.

I have one Styrax, Pin oak and Horse chestnut, not exactly patio pot friendly specimens. Once they grow up I will give them away.

Watering my plants also got my mind away from virus news and financial stress. Now I’m considering growing vegetables.

If you have a garden or a patio, try to add some plants. It may just give you some serenity in a crazy world. I feel great when I check on my patio plants. I think you would, too.

Brian Minter is right, gardens are places of comfort.

Mar 21

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Is it OK to pull a lawn mower backwards?

By Vas Sladek | Lawn Care | No Comments

Tiny lawns

Yes, it is OK to pull a lawn mower backwards but only when you’re mowing a small patch. When a patch of grass is very small, it makes it awkward to turn around with your machine. So, we move in and pull it back. And we repeat the process until the grass is cut.

Pretty laser lines on small patches of lawn don’t even show up properly so we need not stress. If you try to turn around with your mower, you will most likely step into planted beds and cause other problems.

Larger lawns

Larger lawns are a different story because mowing backwards makes it extremely difficult to cut in straight -laser!- lines. You will inevitably lose the lines and either:

a) Create “mohawks” or uncut sections of lawn surrounded by cut lawn. A week later these mohawks become pronounced and detract from your clean cut lawn presentation. Fixing them takes time.

b) End up cutting sections twice which is a duplication and a waste of time.

Well-cut lawns have beautiful straight lines and this is accomplished when we push the mower, not pull it. Pulling your mower means that you’re not looking at the lines properly.

Straight diagonal lines after pushing a mower, not pulling.

Danger!

Another problem is safety. Mowing backwards means that the mower is moving towards your feet not away from them. One slip or hesitation and your foot could end up under the mower deck with potentially severe consequences.

Speed

Mowing backwards is also much slower than pushing the mower forward. It’s hard to get a good rhythm going when you mow backwards. Pushing the mower forward the way it was intended allows you to build speed and force while staying on course.

So, if your lawn is too tiny to allow for full mower turns, then by all means push it in and pull it out until it’s done. On larger lawns it doesn’t make sense to mow backwards. Finish your line and turn around properly so you’re correctly line-up for the next pass.

Happy mowing!

Mar 19

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Is turf or grass better for soccer?

By Vas Sladek | Lawn Care | No Comments

Someone asked me the title question online recently. So, let’s see. If you’re talking about the game of soccer, then turf wins! Why? Because the turf is nice and even.

So many times I’ve seen my 11-year-old son miss easy shots on goal because the grass was bumpy and it threw the kids off. On turf my son would bury those shots, four times out of five.

Problems with turf

There are a few problems with turf. It’s expensive and it heats up. When it heats up in summer, it can off-gas and it requires watering. At least, in theory. In practice, I have yet to see a club hose off the turf before matches.

On one crazy day in White Rock, 2-3 years ago, with temperatures in the high 20s, my son complained about the heat. Not just about the temperature but about his feet. It turned out that his expensive plastic cleats sucked up the heat and made it extremely uncomfortable for him to play. I think his team gave up over ten goals that day. Nobody cared to water the playing surface.

The rubber bits must also be replenished once in a while; and I’ve seen references to goalies falling sick from playing on turf with rubber bits on top.

Players also suffer more injuries on turf.

Turf at Starfire, Renton, Washington State, USA

Grass

I like to see my son play on natural grass, even though Santa Claus had to bring him a plastic cleat cleaner. Also, municipalities no longer use chemicals and the grass is cooler. It also gives off oxygen.

My son likes to point out the frequent imperfections in natural grass. The grass surface can be bumpy, water pools up in some areas and turns to mud.

Grass maintenance also costs money. Municipalities have to cut, aerate, fertilize and top-dress grass fields.

I believe the biggest drawback is water. Athletic fields have a thick sand base to prevent water from pooling up which means that they have to be watered more to keep them in decent shape. Thus, we get concerned citizens calling city departments during water restrictions, asking why the athletic fields are receiving so much water. This is the reason why: they are built with thick sand bases that drain quicker.

If I could, I would have my son play only on natural grass.

Mar 17

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Sucking up to Bartlett Tree Experts

By Vas Sladek | Arborist Insights, Trees | No Comments

It’s common for landscape companies to do their own tree work up to some decent height, like 10-12 feet. Anything higher than that gets sketchy.

So what do you do when your client wants you to remove a giant Pin oak (Quercus palustris)? Well, you call in your favourite tree company. In this blog post it’s Bartlett Tree Experts.

Bartlett comes in and takes the tree down in no time and there is a beautiful up-side to these referrals. Every year, Bartlett Tree Experts invites their clients to a training seminar! Bingo. I live for these moments.

Client seminars

This year the seminar took place inside a Burnaby, BC, private motorcycle exhibit and Harley-Davidson store building. I already knew from past seminars that there would be a gift waiting for me at check-in. Interestingly, this year we received a bento box so I discreetly asked for a second one to prevent my kids from arguing later.

The lecture room was packed and with the coronavirus raging in China, some people were reluctant to shake hands. Hot and cold drinks were provided throughout; and sandwich lunch was included.

Egan Davis

As an introvert, mingling in a crowded room is a lot of work for me. I ran into several old acquaintances and some people from former employers. And every time they see me, they have proof that there is life after their sweatshop.

I gladly shook Egan Davis’ hand. Egan Davis is a plant expert and instructor at the UBC Botanical Garden. Incidentally, he’s my hero because he did the one-day Red Seal Journeyman Horticulturist preparation course I took in 2014. As a result, I was able to pass the challenge exam soon after thanks to this indispensable course.

Egan also delivered a great lecture on static versus dynamic landscapes. The idea is that the landscapes we install in British Columbia are static. Once we install them, we just maintain them; we don’t let them evolve.

Egan’s idea is to start with herbaceous plants, let them build up the soil and then, over time, add shrubs and trees. There is no obvious end.

Ph.D.s

The seminars included three lectures by two awesome, articulate, Ph.D.s. One is an expert on plant diseases and one on urban forestry. The fourth lecturer was a citizen master beekeeper and she delivered a lecture on honeybees and her family’s history. I must admit, half-way through I was close to nodding off. But, to be fair, it was the worst time slot right after lunch.

All done

At the end of the day, there was an ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) sheet circulated for ISA arborists to sign for education credits. I collected 5 CEUs for this event; and 5 CEUs towards my landscape industry certified designation. Beautiful.

And that’s how I walked out of the building, with CEUs and a notebook full of notes. I also stuffed my pockets with fruit and bars for the kids.

It pays to hook up Bartlett Tree Experts with work. They just might invite you to their client training seminar in 2021. Definitely attend.